Derek Chauvin sentencing: Ex-officer sentenced to 22-and-a-half years in prison for George Floyd murder

Judge Peter Cahill sentenced Derek Chauvin to 270 months prison, or 22.5 years, marking 10 years over the sentencing guidelines for second degree unintentional murder.

He will receive credit for 199 days served.

Ben Crump called the sentence “historic”, saying it brings the Floyd family closer to healing.

“Unfortunately, what he received today fell short of what true justice would look like for Mr Floyd and his family,” he said in a tweet.

While the judge was brief in his remarks before sentencing, he said it wasn’t being based on public opinion and said the full rationale would be included in a 22-page explanation outlining the case in law.

As excerpts of the 22-page document appear post online, here is his conclusion:

“Part of the mission of the Minneapolis Police Department is to give citizens “voice and respect”. Here, Mr Chauvin, rather than pursuing the MPD mission, treated Mr Floyd without respect and denied him the dignity owed to all human beings and which he certainly would have extended to a friend or neighbour. In the Court’s view, 270 months, which amounts to an additional ten years over the presumptive 150-month sentence, is the appropriate sentence.”

From the White House press pool, the president said today’s 22.5-year sentence of Derek Chauvin was appropriate.

“I don’t know all the circumstances that were considered but it seems to me, under the guidelines, that seems to be appropriate,” Biden said.

“I’ve not been able to hear anything about what’s happened, how long’s he been sentenced,” he asked before a reporter replied 22.5 years.

“Well I, I don’t know all the circumstances that were considered but it seems to me, under the guidelines, that seems to be appropriate.”

The family had asked Peter Cahill for the maximum sentence of 40 years before the decision of 22.5 years was handed down.

Nephew Brandon Williams said after the verdict that Derek Chauvin should have gotten a life sentence, calling the 360 months a “slap on the wrist”.

“We got justice, but not enough justice,” Williams said.

“Twenty-two and a half years is not enough, we deserved a life sentence, we can’t get George back Gianna can’t hug George again.”

“What kind of message are you sending to our country, what kind of message are you sending to the younger kids like Gianna that you can kill a man in cold blood and get a slap on the wrist. That’s like a slap in the face to all of us standing up here.”

Derek Chauvin’s sentencing on Friday in the murder of George Floyd brings the US “one step closer to healing”, Ben Crump, the lawyer representing the Floyd family, has said.

Chauvin was sentenced to 22 years and six months in prison on Friday. The sentence is 10 years above the 12.5-year guideline for second-degree unintentional murder, due to aggravating factors.

“22.5 YEARS!” Mr Crump wrote in a tweet, responding to the sentencing.

Chantal Da Silva reports.

Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill’s sentencing order of Derek Chauvin has now been made public.

The judge said in sentencing Chauvin to 22.5 years in prison that he was not going to give much detail on his decision, but would make his arguments in a written order.